Silvio Berlusconi denial over 'New Year's Eve party for 50 young women'

Silvio Berlusconi was yesterday forced to deny that he had held a 2007 New Year's Eve party for 50 young women.

Noemi Letizia with photograph of Silvio BerlusconiPhoto: AP

By Nick Pisa in Rome

4:29PM BST 29 May 2009

Yesterday the respected weekly news magazine L'Espresso printed a six page article under the headline "The harem of Berlusconi" as it reported details of the alleged party at his luxury Sardinian villa.

The magazine claimed that 50 young women were flown to Villa Certosa for a "political course" which involved "singing, dancing, shopping and lunch".

L'Espresso reported that the party on Dec 31 ended with a spectacular firework display and described it as a "dream out of Pretty Woman" with the "most powerful and richest man in Italy entertaining a group of actresses, models and wannabes".

Mr Berlusconi's lawyer Nicolo Ghedini, immediately hit back at the article: "The article is completely without foundation. It is fantasy and the sources are all anonymous."

It has been reported that last New Year's Eve Berlusconi held a similar party with young women again as guests and among them was Noemi, then just 17. An allegation Mr Berlusconi has refused to deny.

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The claims increase the pressure on Mr Berlusconi who insists he will explain his "close relationship'" with an 18-year-old model.

Earlier this week he denied having a "steamy affair" with Noemi Letizia – who he gave a 6000 euro gold and diamond necklace to – and said he would resign if it emerged he had lied.

Earlier this month Berlusconi's long suffering wife Veronica Lario, 52, announced that she was divorcing her husband because she was "fed up of him spending time with minors" and because "he is unwell."

Mr Berlusconi has insisted that he has always met Noemi with her parents present – a claim that has been contradicted – and that he will give a full explanation in parliament but he has yet to say when.